Zora Waters
by Zellie
Summary: Finding her world torn apart by Ganondorf's rule, Ruto must save her domain, and herself as well.
1. Prologue

Note: I found Ruto to be a unique character in Zelda, and yet I've never heard anything about her. I think there's probably more to her then meets the eye, so this fic is about Ruto, during the time when Ganondorf was taking over Hyrule. Also, many of the events are altered to fit in with the story line.

  
  


Prologue

Ruto ran her fingers over her glistening fins, checking her reflection in the crystalline Zora waters. She nodded, complacent with how stunning she was.

"Ruto!" She flinched at the rounded voice of her father.

"I'm coming," she muttered, taking a last glance at her idyllic image. She rolled her eyes, and began her strut over to the king. "King," she muttered, "Anyone's more fit to be king then him." Ruto shook her head, doing a double take at her present position. One path led to her father, calm, monotonous; the one she _always _took. The other, to the waterfall. Free, ever changing...why did she have to comply to his every whim? 

"Not this time, I don't need one of those oh so lordly speeches," she turned around, racing back towards the cove that led away from her father. She yearned to travel eternally in that direction, to never turn back.... 

"But princesses have...responsibilities," she sighed dejectedly. Ruto closed her eyes, and leapt over the edge of the falls. The wind whistled in her ears, flowing over her slender body, drying her wet skin. She landed in the water gracefully, slight ripples appearing where she dove. Swimming along the bottom, she tried to match her movements with the subtle movements of the waves, hoping that her sleek blue skin was of the same tone as the cool blues of the waters. 

She grasped one of the slippery rungs of the ladder, and carefully pulled herself up...

"Ruto, what _are _you doing here?" She stifled a shriek as she felt a hand on her shoulder. 

Whirling about, she gave the Zora above her a sharp glare. 

"I can take care of myself, Farrel. Let go," she shoved him off, ascending the ladder.

"Your father's looking for you," he continued.

"I know that," she grimaced. "And I'm not in the mood for one of his talks. I know I'm a princess, and I know that I have certain obligations." She mimicked, lowering herself to his level. Farrel was so...serious. She hastened back up the ladder, stepping onto the cool ground. "If my father asks you, tell him you don't know where I am," she called down to him.

"Ruto, I won't lie for you," he narrowed his eyes.

"You won't be lying," she smirked, "because you _won't_ have any idea where I am!" Ruto flashed him a grin, and disappeared around the edge of the cliffs.

* * * *

Ruto shivered in the warmth of the sun. She spent her entire life shaded from the outside world by that canopy of stone and water. But reality...it captivated her. Every blade of grass, so green and abound with life. Every breeze that cooled one's body when hot, cooled her very soul. Every cloud held a light that she'd never before seen...

And this world was out of her reach. Forbidden. 

"It's not like I'll dry up," she mumbled, sitting down and dangling her feet over the edge of the path. "It's just that my people are...afraid." She whispered, her voice almost tearful. "They don't know about places beyond our little world...if they only did..." Ruto stood up abruptly, making her way down the lush, grassy paths. 

"That's why I cling to the past, because the future holds nothing for me!" she paused, continuing in a lower tone, "I know father wants me to take my place in society. But I just can't do that! It will end my hoping...and I'll have no more dreams to thrive on. They're all that keeps me going now. The fact that someday...I might get away from here..." She knew that none of the Zora's indulged in the fantasies that she did. Not one of them even dared to dream. But she did. And if there was one thing she had faith in, it was that her own overwhelming determination could get her most anything.

"Ruto, you can't keep running off like that. It's dangerous." She heard Farrel's stern voice behind her. 

She felt her cheeks get hot with the embarrassment that he may have heard her. But then her face flushed crimson with anger. "I am not your responsibility," she said sourly, her eyes flashing. 

Farrel was respected by all of the Zoras. He was idealistically courageous, sightly, and levelheaded. Ruto folded her arms defiantly. "Have you ever had a dream, Farrel?"

He bristled irritably. "Ruto, you _can't_ keep doing this. Strange things are happening, appearing, as near as the shores of Zora's River. Even I don't know what they are."

"Even you?" she mused.

"Come on," Farrel gripped her arm securely.

Ruto wriggled free. She was vexed. "I wasn't meant to be a princess!" She upbraided. "My path is all planned out for me! It's so calm, so set in its ways...like the water in the shallows of the river. But _I _want to follow a different path! I want to follow the same one as the roaring rapids far away. Treacherous at times, and yet exhilarating. You consider yourself heroic, Farrel, thinking that your name serves you well, but _I_ have more courage then you do."

"Fine. I won't take any more responsibility for you," he muttered, his face taut. He whirled on her, stalking back into the refreshing "comfort" of his home...

"It's _not _my home," Ruto stated pointedly. 

She continued to meander along the progressing shores, reveling in the grainy feel of the sand, and in the softness of the dew laden grass. Suddenly, she felt her entire body go numb, an almost icy sensation trilling down her spine. She felt all her senses becoming more alert. Suspiciously, her eyes darted about. What was that sound? Hoof beats? 

Something caught her eyes...or was it someone? She could barely make out the dark silhouette of a towering figure in the distance, mounted on a massive stallion. Her every instinct told her to run, but her feet refused to move, staying firmly planted to the ground. She could now see a man atop the steed, clad in black armor, with strange, green skin, native to Gerudo males. She stared at him nervously.

The horse came to a halt beside her. She could now see every detail in the warrior's face. Every jewel that encrusted his thick, metal clad body. And the sinful, vacant look on his face. His lips curled up, forming a sneer.

"Is this the way to the Zoras?" he asked contemptuously. 

Ruto pursed her lips together. She could feel her entire body trembling.

"I asked you a question," the Gerudo spat.

She narrowed her eyes. "Who are you?"

"Never mind that. Where do the Zoras live? Is it down this river?" his tone was fierce, yet strained.

"Yes," Ruto blurted out, her voice wavering.

The Gerudo nodded approvingly, and kicked the warhorse. The dirt clouded up behind them, blurring Ruto's vision for a moment. When it cleared, there was no trace, save a few dusty hoof prints in the sand. She bit her lip.

All she wanted was to go back to her sheltered land. There, she would be invulnerable from all harm that the outside produced. 

But something was wrong. The river echoed with newfound danger. She took off, racing against the wind that seemed to be trying to slow down her flight. Every grain of dirt seemed to be reaching from the ground, clumping around her feet. The waters were swirling from their banks, trying to push her back. The grass was stretching, intertwining itself with her legs, keeping her from her haven...

She watched in horror as the stallion galloped past her, the man still astride. 

She felt her legs threatening to give way, but she pressed on. 

And as quickly as all the elements had joined forces, determined to stop her, they all desisted. Ruto collapsed on the ground, sudden sobs racking her body, but no tears. She felt hot, and yet freezing. Scared, and yet relieved. Her breath came in uneven gasps. She lowered her head to her knees, feeling feverish. What was happening to her?

"I've got to get up," she implored with her body. Every part of her ached with fear, but she gradually made her way back to the quiet doorway of her realm. 

The cool, ocean scented breezes didn't linger in the air outside. Instead, icy winds threatened to engulf her. She didn't hear the subdued splashing of the waters against the shores, just a silenced, almost twinkling nothingness. She took a deep breath, and stepped inside.

* * * *

The pastoral lapping of the waters was gone forever. Replaced with the cold, inharmonic echo of the frozen waves. The clashing din of the falls was gone, halted in its path to meet the water below. The entire domain was...frozen.

She turned the fact over in her mind time and time again. But it wouldn't click. She felt herself breaking into a cold sweat. The torches flickered in their wicker holders. She lifted one up, holding it against the ice. She'd melt it, melt all of it. Even if it took the rest of her life.

Ruto felt her throat go numb. A scream escaped her lips, for she could _not _silence her shock. The ice would not melt, call it sorcery, black magic...whatever. 

"I'm so sorry..."she whispered, her voice barely audible. She pressed her hands urgently against the now translucent patch of ice. 

Trying to touch the hand of the Zora trapped beneath...

Immobilized there.

Trapped in the depths of space and time. 

As were all her people.

And for once, she was truly alone.


	2. Chapter One

Chapter One

Ruto shivered. Her skin was covered in ice crystals, crisp and cold. But she would not leave, not if she froze to death. 

"The good point of this is that I can't cry," she sniffed. She could see her every word in the frigid air, lingering, and then fading. "Because my tears all freeze before they even leave my eyes..." 

She got up, making her way back to her throne. She would rule this silenced world of ice, she would make sure that no more harm became them, but when there she drew back, taken amiss by what she saw. Her father...she ran her fingers over the mysterious red ice that coated his body, imprisoning him in a cold, lifeless tomb. Her fingers became hard and numb with the coldness of the strange ice. And what of Zora's Fountain? Their oasis, to which she went when there was no where else to go. The only place where she could seek out comfort.

"Oh Nayru, let it be safe!" she prayed, her feet carrying her across the slick ice as if it was air. 

Icebergs floated across the frigid waters, twirling with the movements of the tide. The pedestal that housed the sacred Lord Jabu-Jabu, was now empty. No more rushing waters, no more warm, summer rains. Snow now fell from the air, chilling her down to her very core.

"Why? What is this? How?" Ruto gasped. She paused...what was that? Voices?

The cold, lifeless walls that now surrounded the domain caused every whisper to be magnified. She heard the echoing of a voice from within...

"Not this time. Nothing else will happen," she skirted the icebergs and crawled back inside, her movements like that of a cat's. Pressing her body up against the wall, she leaned in trying to distinguish who the voice belonged to.

"What happened?" Shock. Like hers. Pain. Just like she felt. It wasn't an enemy. It _couldn't_ be an enemy. She peered around the corner.

"This is _not _how I remember it. Then again nothing is how I remember it, anymore," So dejected...so lost...and so...familiar?

"Who is that?" she whispered, her curiosity growing, "They shouldn't be here, it's dangerous..._I _shouldn't even be here."

"Is someone there?"

Ruto pulled herself up against the wall, squeezing her eyes shut. Her breathing quickened nervously. 

"I won't hurt you. Is anyone here?" 

Ruto glared at the wall. Was she doomed to spend the rest of her life hiding from everyone who dared to enter her frozen kingdom? That wasn't her. Hesitantly, she began to rise, her every movement defined and careful. She broke a long, pointed icicle from the ceiling, and holding it in front of her, slipped out from behind the wall.

"Who are you?" she growled, pointing the ice sword at the intruder's back.

He whirled around, unsheathing a silver plated sword, marked with royal emblems and intricate designs. And upon seeing her dropped it, letting it clatter to the ground.

Ruto tilted her head to the side, her eyes fixed on the stranger. His clothing was not typically Hylian, and there was a cryptical air about him, as if she'd known him before.

"Answer me, or so help me I'll stab you through right now!" she threatened.

"Whoa...I'm not here to hurt you. And I'm really confused, so could you just put that down?" he asked nervously, putting his hands out in front of him.

"Who the hell are you?" Ruto advanced upon him. 

"I'll tell you what," he muttered, kneeling down and taking his sword in his hands, "tell me who you are, and I'll tell you who I am." With one slick movement, he cut her weapon in half, sheathing his sword once more.

Grimacing, Ruto opened her mouth. "Ruto, the last of the Zoras." That was her title now, she was no longer a princess, for she had no one to rule.

"Ruto?" he gasped.

She squirmed under his gaze. That outfit was _so_ known to her, she raised her head, meeting his eyes. Those eyes...she felt as if she could lose herself in them forever, of the purest azure, deep...

"Link?" she breathed.

"That's my name," he grinned at her.

"Thank goodness!" Ruto gasped. "All my people have been frozen beneath the ice, I'm the only one left and..." her voice cracked, "What do I do?"

"You've changed, Ruto," Link's eyes darted over her.

"So have you," she whispered, a sigh escaping her lips. For some reason, she felt awkward with Link, he seemed to carry a regal air about him that she didn't remember.

"How long has it been now?"

"Seven years," Ruto murmured.

"Seven years..."he echoed. "That's a long time."

"Yes."

"Listen, Ruto...I'm really sorry...about...about this," he encircled her with his arms, pulling her into a reassuring embrace.

"I never gave my people a chance. All I did was whine about the life I led. Well I'd rather have _that _life then the one I now have! I am completely alone! I have _no one_," she finished, her words bitter and unbelieving.

"We _both _have no one. None of my friends remember me. You didn't even remember me," Link sighed.

Ruto looked up at him, realizing for the first time how much he'd changed from the last time she'd laid eyes upon him. 

"So, is our engagement still on?" she snickered. She wouldn't mind if it were, he was so comely and so...different. Always open for adventure, new ideas, he took life as it came never planning ahead...

That's what she longed for. That's what was missing from her life.

Link flashed her a grin pulling her back to reality. "I don't know about that..."

Ruto smiled back halfheartedly. "So, where have you been keeping yourself these last seven years?"

"I..." Link faltered, "I don't really know. It's a really strange story, and somehow I don't think I should tell it to anyone."

"That's alright, I'm used to not being told things," Ruto muttered, "I'm used to being left out and different."

"Ruto, don't take it that way. It's just that...it might," Link shrugged, "disturb that order of things."

"What happened here?" she suddenly asked, her voice tense.

"All I can guess is that it's Ganondorf's work."

"Ganondorf? Is he..." she pulled back nervously, "A Gerudo?"

"Yeah, he's their ruler. He's extremely powerful, he's ruining Hyrule bit by bit," Link sighed heavily.

"He has a horse?" Ruto urged on, her every word aspen.

"A massive, black warhorse," Link nodded, a slight smile crossing his face. "That's one sturdy horse. Epona could never match that."

"Then...it's all my fault," she breathed. She lowered her head, backing up steadily. "He asked me where the Zoras were and I told him! I've destroyed my civilization."

Link's eyes widened. He didn't know what to say... "Ruto, you didn't know..."

"It was _all _my fault! If I'd just said, over towards the west of Hyrule, my father would still be here right now!" Her pace quickened.

"You can't blame yourself," Link offered.

"I can and I will! It's all my fault!" She whirled around breaking into a run, "I've killed them all!"

"Ruto, wait..." Link implored, "It's not your fault..." he paused uncomfortably as she turned around to glare at him. "It's mine."

"Yours?" she whispered, doubtfully.

"Mine."

"How so?"

"I can't say, but trust me, you should _not _blame yourself."

"It's _your _fault," she repeated, her face tight and pale. Retracing her steps, she brought herself up to Link, "You'd better fix it."

"I didn't mean to!" Link said pointedly, "It was...a mistake. I mean, it was my fault but it wasn't...and..."

"You seem confused, but I'm not. All I know is I have no where to go, my people are ensnared in the ice, and my world is collapsing. _You said it was your responsibility, so you should be the one to fix it."_ Ruto snapped her fingers, defining her point, and turned around. "In the meantime, I have to search for a life." 


	3. Chapter Two

Chapter 2

It was so dark...where was she? Had she just had some unbelievably realistic dream? Ruto's eyes fluttered open. She rubbed her temples, a low moan escaping her lips. Eerie, lingering ballads surrounded her, along with delicate, trilling voices. 

"What's going on?" she mumbled aloud, gazing at her bizarre surroundings. Her last memory was of not of Link, but of a strange golden haired youth. A Sheikah perhaps?

"She's awake," a sweet voice whispered.

"Who's there?" Ruto looked about suspiciously. She was situated on a cerulean platform, circular and lustrous. On it was a strange emblem, echoing with the rushing of waters and the scent of the oceans. 

"You're the Zora princess, right?" Another voice questioned.

"Where am I?" Ruto sighed, becoming exasperated.

"Why, you've awakened as a sage, as have all of us. We must help the hero of time to fulfill the prophecy, and thus salvage Hyrule."

"Excuse me?"

"Impa, put it in terms she can understand." A twinkling voice chimed in.

"Oh, right. Well, we have all been summoned by the goddesses to become sages. We all must protect our temples, and aid the chosen one on his quest. This, is the chamber of the sages, and this is where we shall forever stay, protecting our land," Impa finished.

Ruto glowered fiercely. "I don't feel like being a sage. I want to go back to Hyrule."

"It's beyond you're decision," a tart voice cut in sharply.

"Who was that boy I saw? The Sheikah boy," she asked.

"We know not. But he sides with us, against the tyranny we face. We have all met him, but not one of us knows who he is," Impa whispered.

"Who is the chosen one?" Ruto urged Impa on. This was just _too _perplexing.

"You know him as Link, we all know him," the childlike voice spoke for a second time. "I am Saria, sage of the forest, and around you are the other sages," Ruto could vaguely make out the shape of a small child, emerald enwrapping her entire body.

"Link?" she echoed. "And where is he now?"

"Battling the fire temple, his next stop is to your haven, Ruto. You are the sage of water," Impa smiled.

"I...I don't want to be a sage," she stuttered.

"But once he defeats the demon that has taken over your shrine, the waters in your domain will run once more," that same cunning tone, "I'm Nabooru, sage of spirit," she added coyly.

"And I am the sage of fire, Darunia," a husky, male voice said gruffly. "You are an important part in the history of Hyrule. Already, the monsters have deserted the forest, as soon as Link defeated the phantom ruling the forest temple."

Ruto shifted her weight back and forth, rocking slowly, "I'll do it," she whispered.

* * * *

"_You, Ruto?"_ Link asked, baffled.

"Yes, at first I didn't want to be the water sage, but I now realize my people will now live again. And Link, for once I'm truly satisfied. Everything will be as it once was. In harmony," Ruto murmured. "The mysterious cloud has faded from the mountain peaks, life renewed it's vows and a new protector has been born for the Kokiri. So I know, my land will finally be saved, as well."

"I'm happy for you, Ruto," Link said, putting a hand on her shoulder, reassuringly. 

"Thank you," she whispered. "Oh, I almost forgot!" Ruto breathed in heavily, summoning all of her power. From the endless black above them, a lazuline medallion floated down. It hovered above for a moment, and then dropped into Link's outstretched hand, glimmering and twirling.

"The water medallion," Ruto explained.

"I figured," Link grinned at her, "Thanks..." His voice faded in and out, and a glistening warp light formed, engulfing him.

"Bye Link..." Ruto said softly, her voice quivering.

* * * *

"_Why?" _Ruto growled for the umpteenth time. "Why does fate despise me? My people? My home? Why does it salvage what all others hold dear, but not what I long for? Why does it set my destiny in stones, while it sets yours in the sands?"

"I don't know. How many times must I tell you, Ruto? Fate guides us in strange ways, and I'm sure there's a reason behind this," Impa sighed. "I'm truly sorry that you're land is still frozen, while all others have been restored. At least your father is now safe."

"He probably enjoyed those years spent in the ice. He didn't need to move at all, or even breath, and for him those both waste a lot of energy."

Impa chuckled despite herself, "Maybe in time..."

"I don't want to wait! Impa, this is tearing me apart inside. It's been many months since I first awakened as a sage, and Link has yet to confront his final adversary. In only a day and perhaps less, he shall face Ganondorf," she shuddered at the mere mentioning of his name. "And if Zora's Domain does not defrost by then, I _shall _take action." 

"I am doubtful that it will, Ruto. If it hasn't yet, why should it ever?" 

"Precisely," she retorted bitterly.

"I'm worried for Link. Is he up to the challenge of that minacious tyrant? I know he's a skilled warrior but...to think that Hyrule's fate rests in him, and only him. And that it shall be set in mere hours," Impa cracked her knuckles, worry creasing her face.

"He will win. I'm sure of it," Ruto yawned.

"I wish I was half as confident in his ability as you," Impa nodded to her.

"Link's sort of...invincible," Ruto smiled to herself.

"Ruto, Impa!" Saria squealed, her voice trembling. "Link's crossed the final barrier in Ganon's castle!"

The ground beneath them quaked, queer, almost melodic screams echoing all around them. Terror wreaked havoc in the air, fear collided with the walls about them all. 

The final battle was about to begin.

"If only we could see him!" Impa grumbled.

"He doesn't need us to see him. Don't worry, he'll be alright," Ruto said soothingly.

"If he fails, I'll be done for. I've disobeyed the king of my people, and it will cost me my life. It's a high treason..." Nabooru muttered, pacing the tiled floors skeptically, stepping from platform to platform.

"Doesn't anyone have faith in him? Link was chosen to save us, and he will succeed," Ruto said reproachfully. 

She bit her lip, praying to herself that she was as confident as she sounded. What was that disturbing clatter? What was that shriek from below? Why could she hear every movement from the combat, yet not see anything!?

"If Link defeated all of those horrid beasts guarding the temples, surely he can defeat Ganon as well," she gasped, directing her comment towards her own mind.

"This is different..."Impa started.

"The only way we can help Link is to trust him. With trust we have power, with power we can do anything. So help him, Impa. You're not doing anything else."

Impa smirked half-heartedly. "Alright, Ruto," she agreed. 

"I hear something...collapsing walls...what's going on?" Nabooru whispered, straining her ears towards the outside world. "There's more screaming. I sense fear, I sense a new battle arising...I sense danger."

"You were right," Impa said breathing nervously, "Ganondorf has power, and with it he can do anything."

"Such as...?" Saria piped in suddenly.

"I'm not sure. But it's terrible, that's all I know."

Ruto closed her eyes, drawing in the thickened air. She sat down placidly, drawing her knees up to her body for protection against any fear that threatened to enter her mind. 

And time passed, slowly at first, and then quickening as the heated battle grew more desperate, more nerved. A blood-curdling cry shattered the silence, appalling to all senses. 

Ruto's words stuck to her throat. It wasn't Link's voice that screamed. He had won. He had salved Hyrule, and its people. He had ensured that there _would _be a future.

The black swirled into a pale sunlight tinted golden. Ruto felt her body being lifted, and brought down to the mortal realm of Hyrule, that she'd not seen in so many years. It would be her first time there since Ganon began his reign of terror, and her last time there, for eternity.

For some reason unknown to her, the other sages were not with her. She stood alone, only steps away from Link, but he did not seem to see her.

He stood still, as if carved from stone, his eyes grazing his blood stained body. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but then collapsed, kneeling on the rubble beneath him, and at the same time begging for his own hope and dreams once more. And Ruto watched, as he began to cry.

"Link, you needn't cry, you're a hero," she whispered stepping nearer to him.

He bolted upright, the hot tears still flowing down his scarred face, still interrupting his scarred innocence, and life. "That means nothing. I've lost seven years of my life. I've lost all that I held close. I've lost my entire existence..."

"And you've saved us all," she breathed, lowering herself to his level. "Link, I cannot thank you enough." All of her arrogance disappeared, fading with the relief that there would be no more nightmares, no more fear. She bowed her head to him, reveling in his bravery and selflessness.

"Don't," he said sullenly, "I had no choice. My fate was set, and I'm not at all brave. Just like you, Ruto. We were both chosen to help Hyrule, and if I'd the choice, I don't know what I would have done."

"But..." she said, her head still bowed, "You tried your hardest, and gave of yourself. Not all would do that, even for their own land."

"And don't ever say I don't need to cry. Because I may be a 'hero' but I still feel pain, I still feel hatred, and I can still hurt."

"You're a person, Link. I realize this. But for saving us, you will forever be immortalized," Ruto raised her head, "within me, and within all living in this time."

"Ruto...you deserve better then your fate," he sighed. "I don't know why the Zoras are still trapped, but the curse must be to strong, for even banishment to break. For even death to halt."

"You mean...it's still frozen?" she asked, withdrawing slightly.

"Ruto," he paused unwarily, "It's going to be frozen forever."

For a moment, Ruto's entire body seemed to go rigid, but then she relaxed again, "That's not true."

"I don't know why, but somehow...it's not?"

"No. Because I'm going to save my world," she stood up lightly.

"Ruto, don't...it's impossible...you're a sage, you're not...you can't..." he broke off.

"Nothing's impossible if you have faith. And Link, don't thwart destiny, because it won't do any good," she stepped away from him and then paused.

"Because _I_ don't deserve a better fate. My world does. My people do." 


	4. Chapter Three

Chapter 3

Impossible was the only word that came to her mind. 

Unthinkable.

Inconceivable.

Why? How? What?

She continued tapping at the ice with her awl and hammer. Thin cracks spread about the ice, but there were no dents, or anything else that gave her hope. She didn't dare work close to any of the frozen bodies, for fear that her hand might slip and cut one of them. She didn't care to see anymore red ice.

Naturally, her father simply stayed put, rooted to his throne, still maintaining order. She doubted that he even cared. Ruto cursed under her breath, regretting the day she'd begun this task.

"I wonder if there's any hope for the Zoras. If there's any way to save them now. Or if this entire mission is a fool's errand, and I am merely trying to succeed while attempting the..." she broke off, and continued chiseling away at the ice. This would get her no where, and she knew it. But what else was there to do?

Sighing, she stood up. Long ago she'd heard of a place far away from her sheltered homeland. There were towering buildings, bustling shops, and vibrant, animated crowds of people. She's heard of games, and magical potions. Possibly, one that would cure the Zoras of this dreadful fate...

She sprang into a run, stepping out from Zoras Domain. For the second time in her life she felt fear. It coursed through her, making her every step steady and careful. One thing she always could depend on was that her life was _safe._ Now, she was not even sure of that. And the places far away could hold new dangers, new threats, and simply new things. Things she'd never heard of, never experienced. She breathed heavily as her foot first touched the warm, dry soil of Hyrule Field.

And she didn't pause for a moment until she saw the drawbridge that lead to the market.

Ruto halted, gasping for her breath. "I never realized," she mumbled, "just how vast Hyrule really is." She cocked her head to the side, realizing that the drawbridge was creaking upwards, towards the tangy, melting shades of the sunset. 

It slammed shut with a loud thwack, leaving her stranded. She bit her lip, waiting for it to come back down. The moon bathed everything in its cool light, making her shiver a bit, although it wasn't cold at all. Every sound seemed to grow in the open air of the night.

"What was that?" Ruto backed up a step, hearing a faint clattering, like metal and wood. She could vaguely make out the silhouettes of some raggedly clad figures approaching her. But there were no words, just the same, continuous, uncanny sound echoing with their every step. "Who's there?" she whispered, making every attempt to remain still.

She could now tell that there were two of them. And upon hearing her voice they both jolted up, sniffing the air and growling. She'd heard of these, long ago, but never had she believed the tales. "Stalchilds..." she gasped. 

Stalchilds were the ghostly skeletons slaughtered by Ganondorf. It was said that they came out every night, only in pairs. Then, they tried to obliterate any unfortunate soul stranded in the darkness of the night. Trying to let them taste the true horror of death. Ruto pressed her body against one of the stone posts that housed the drawbridge, praying that they wouldn't see her, praying that she'd live...

One of them limped over to her, swiping at the air. She could see how bedraggled it was, and she felt a pang of pity for it. It was not by its choice that it crawled from the bare earth by night to feast on mortals. Once, it to had been alive, and it had been killed defending its own people. Ironically, now it would _kill _its own people. She stifled a scream as she felt its bone clad fingers claw against her leg. 

"I have no weapon against it," Ruto murmured, "But it's so ancient..." Hesitantly, she kicked at its knees. The creature snarled angrily, and backed up. Ruto glanced about desperately, and grabbed a long deku stick that was situated only a foot away from her. Yes, they made poor weapons, but she didn't have the time to be meticulous. She recoiled in horror as two more clawed their way from the ground. 

"If only I could make my way to the path. I've heard they can't reach me there. Because so many pure souls have tread on it, it frightens them away," she edged a step farther from them. One approached her again, ferociously mumbling in an old language. She hit it sharply on the skull, snapping her stick in two, but causing the skeleton to crumble to dust at her feet. 

"Get back," she growled, waving the broken stick in the air, "I'm warning you, I'm very good with weapons," she continued to pace about, every time bringing herself closer to the path. Well, she was good with sharp icicles...sort of. Her foot buried itself in the course sand that made the Hyrulian pathways. She breathed a sigh of relief, as she pulled her entire body there as well. Exhausted, she sat down, drawing her knees up to her chest. She smirked as the Stalchilds viciously clawed at the ground, burrowing back into the depths from which they'd sprung.

* * * *

The crowing of a rooster echoed through the silent air, filling the air with the rising sun and the crisp morning skies. Ruto stretched, her eyes flittering open. Relief flowed through her. Relief that those creatures were gone, relief she'd made it to her destination, relief that she was alive. She stood up quickly, shook her head clear, and waited patiently as the bridge lowered.

The creaking of the drawbridge sounded, and she rushed across it immediately. Any fears of this foreign town had vanished, as she clutched the strand that held her life only a night ago. She sauntered inside, trying to remain inconspicuous. But upon seeing the canty array of colors, the scenic designs and structures, and the groups of people clad in garments she'd never before fathomed; she promptly froze, her eyes glued to every image that made the town. 

No one seemed to even note her presence, something she was not used to, and yet she relished. Charily, she opened a random door and stepped inside.

It was...antic. A young man was positioned behind a long counter, and behind him eldritch remedies and artifacts were stacked en masse. Dust settled on a pile of crystal bottles, all empty and cracked. The walls were all empty, save a few lopsided shelves. Ruto approached the counter warily.

"I'm in need of a potion," she croaked, her voice timid.

The man's eyes skimmed her briefly, "You're a Zora?" he grinned. "Alright, what do you need?"

"I need to melt..." she broke off, "I want to get rid of some ice."

"Why would you need to do that?" he scoffed.

"Because my..." she glared at him, skeptically. "I might slip," she continued tartly.

"We don't have anything that melts ice, but you might try some salt."

Ruto raised her eyebrow, narked by his sarcastic phrases. "It's not your usual ice," she muttered, "I need something stronger."

"Red ice?" he asked.

"You know of it?" she breathed, feeling alleviation.

"Of course. I know of all those occult forces out there. That's why I'm in this business."

Ruto bit her lip, temptation pulling her in two directions. Should she tell this stranger of the Zoras, risking all that she held close? But perchance he could help her, and her people might not be trapped everlastingly...

"My land has been frozen. And the Zoras are trapped beneath the ice. I want to get them out," her tone was so even that it was chilling.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, "And I won't tell anyone. I can tell you don't want many to know of this." 

"What do I do?" she implored, her voice shaking.

"No magic will help you, or your land. But I do know what might. I've heard of a chosen one, the one responsible for Hyrule's salvation..."

"He will _not _help me," Ruto grimaced, drumming her slender fingers on the wood. She stood somber for a moment, ruminating what she should do, how she should do it...suddenly, her eyes flashed with life. "But I know one who can."

She sported towards the door. "Maybe we'll meet again someday," she called, never once turning back.

Because that was the past. And all she wanted now was the future.


	5. Chapter Four

Chapter 4

"All I need to know is where to start," she sighed, absently tracing in the dirt. "I guess I don't even know how to start. Why, I don't even know _what _to start!" she kicked at the forest ground, incensed. "All I know is that I need to find that boy...the Sheikah."

Ruto sighed, cerebrating her next move. All around her, everything seemed to slide together, reposed and serene. So why was she fated to never again exist in that movement of peace? Even the cresson mosses that paved the forest seemed to smooth the grime that made it. The sky mixed with the clouds, tinting them. She rested her head in her hands. _Nothing_ was soothing anymore, not even the tranquility of the forests. And they used to calm her no matter how desperate a situation made itself out to be.

"I don't know w...." her voice trailed off. "Of course, Link seems to know everyone in all of Hyrule. He's traveled every plain, moved every rock, and sliced every blade of grass. Just maybe..." she pulled herself to her feet. She was already in the depths of the Lost Woods, so Link's native home was only steps away.

The forest was rumored to house youths known as the Kokiri, who were eternally young no matter how much time passed. Their minds remained childlike for the most part, and they lived as a group of children would unsupervised, if they were allowed to. But they had order as well, and their ways were well established. Still, Ruto was restive, for all new places held dangers to her.

A short, stout child ran up to her immediately, newfound curiosity gleaming in his eyes. "Who are you? Why are you here?" he asked boldly.

"My name's Ruto," she took the same tone she'd take with an infant, "Does a man named Link live here?"

"Yeah, over there in that house. He's likely out now, 'cause he always wants to have adventures and stuff like that," he grinned at her, proud of his knowledge.

"Alright, thank you," Ruto patted his head gently, making her way to the uncommon cottage that was Link's abode. Drawing back at first, she eyed the rickety ladder leading to the entrance. Cautiously, she climbed it, wincing as it creaked beneath her. She pushed back a cloth that screened the interior from outside, and strode it.

Link lay on his bed, absently reading and munching on various fruits. 

"_This _is what heroes do in their free time?" she asked.

Link bolted upright. "I...I..." he stuttered. "Oh, hey Ruto." He collapsed back into the inviting warmth of his bed. "What are you doing here?"

"I need your help," she stated, sitting down on a small, carved chair.

"With what?" he muttered, listening with but half an ear.

"My land is still frozen," she started.

"I'm not going on another quest. I'd like to help you, but I just won't. I just _can't_," his voice quivered, though he tried to remain uninvolved, glued to the book.

"And I'm not asking you to. I just want you to answer me one question," she breathed, "Do you know a Sheikah?"

Link dropped the book, ceased his chewing, and stared at her. "Sheik?"

"The mysterious one. He helped me, and I must find him. Only he can help my people now. Please Link...where can I find him?" Ruto's eyes clouded with a trace of tears.

"You'll never find Sheik. I met him many times on my quest, and he spoke only in riddles, disappearing in smoke whenever I came near. I last saw him at the temple of time...and I'll never see him again. Neither will you, Ruto," Link paused, watching her tentatively, "Because Sheik is not a person, but Zelda. The Princess of Hyrule."

Ruto gaped at him, stunned. "What?"

"Her life was at risk when Ganondorf's reign began, so she had to go into hiding. That was her hiding place, that costume kept her life. And within it, she helped me to save Hyrule. She helped you as well. She helped me to defeat Ganondorf in the final battle, but faded away before I could even speak to her once more," he sighed. "I couldn't have done it without her, and I'll never see her again. Royalty and peasants don't mix. And that's what I am," he paused bitingly, "a mere peasant."

"You're no peasant," Ruto stuttered, appalled that he could even think such a thought.

"Not to you, but to everyone else in Hyrule I am. Yeah, I saved Hyrule, but no one knows it," he silenced himself for a moment, "I don't know how you'll enter the palace, but if you really want to I'm sure you'll find a way."

Ruto got to her feet, "I don't want to Link. I _need_ to. The princess is the Zoras' last chance for salvation now."

* * * *

"I'm the Zora Princess," Ruto said through clenched teeth. "And I must speak to Zelda, it's of utmost importance."

"What's so important?" the guard yawned, abstractedly running a finger over his armor.

"I can't tell you that!" Ruto growled. How many times did she have to remind him?

"Then I can't let you inside. If you won't tell me, it can't be that important anyway."

"Are you so ignorant that you can't see the plight of all in Hyrule? Our land has been scarred forever, and only if you let me in can we begin to heal some of our wounds," Ruto's voice cracked under the pressure.

"Listen, you can't come in. That's that," he turned his back to her, interrupting or ignoring any words that flowed from her mouth in protest.

"Damn it, just let me in!" she snarled threateningly. 

"N-O," he retorted, sounding out each letter.

She stomped away, silently seething with fury. Link had warned her of this, but she'd refused to believe anyone could be such a dolt! Then again, he'd also told her the only way to enter the castle would be to go up and over...

She groaned aloud, paused, smiled graciously to the guard, and slipped behind the wall. Thick vines wound over its top, so secure that she could easily climb them. 

"Good thing," she complained, "I _have_ to climb them."

Grasping a section of the vine with both hands, she pulled herself up to a narrow bank of grass running alongside the wall. There was a thin, rickety ladder that led to a guard booth below, and she lowered herself down it, landing in a small room lit only by a single flaming torch. Cautiously, she opened the door, trying to prevent the squeaking of its hinges.

"I'm over the wall," she whispered smugly. "It should be simple from now on."

* * * *

Ruto rubbed her back for the hundredth time...or was it the thousandth?

"Guards," she growled, climbing the vines with much more grace and precision then the first time, "How dare they throw out trespassers?"

She could reach the moat, but while stealing along the banks was always found by a guard. And they weren't too gentle when dealing with intruders...her head was throbbing.

"I won't be caught again I..." her sentence was left unfinished as a new thought entered her mind. "I'm a Zora," she told the moat, sliding her body into the refreshing waters. 

No guards actually watched over the moat, and the current carried her directly to a small plateau of land, covered in crates and wooden planks. Ruto lightly leapt across the water, landing by an extremely restricted opening. Taking a deep breath she entered it, though it was very tight.

The main courtyard was braw, having a flowing stream bordering it. Shocked by its entirety, Ruto felt tempted to plainly sit down and take in the complete beauty that surrounded her. She shook it off, tiptoeing past a single guard who was inattentively watching the clouds.

"I guess the smart guards are all outside the castle walls," she giggled, walking obstreperously past yet another one, moments later. The garden soon became a maze of royal topiary, leading in twists and turns, rights and lefts. Ruto sighed deeply, mustering all of her courage, swallowing all of her fear, and allowing only her love for her people and land to rise to the surface and erupt. Slowly moving, she stepped into the royal courtyard. 

* * * *

Never had Ruto fathomed, in her entire existence that she'd some day speak with the ruler of all Hyrule. The one who maintained order, kept the land balanced, and bravely sacrificed of herself for her people. Ruto could see the princess from where she now stood, but somehow could not move, anchored to the ground with reverence. Timidly, letting her body tremble openly, she stepped forward.

"Zelda..." she started, her every word meek and awed.

The princess spun around, her face pale and taken unawares. She tipped her head to the side, her azure eyes fleeting over the Zora before her. "What are you doing here?" she asked. Ruto opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. Zelda's every word was so tentative and caring, though so short and simple.

"I need your help," her words came out as a croak.

The princess looked confused and nervous, her face creasing with worry.

"I don't want your help Zelda," Ruto said steadily, "I need Sheik's help. And I bet you're the only one who knows where I can find him."

* * * *

"I think I hurt Link by staying hidden from him. He thought we could confide in each other, and I just blurred all of his illusions by deceiving him. But what happened happened, and I can't take back what I did. Even if I could I wouldn't, because that was the only way I could keep my life and ultimately save my world," Zelda sighed.

"He just wants to thank you for what you did," Ruto replied softly, "He wants to let you know that he owes you his life, as do we all," she lowered her head.

"It was scary. I was so cut off from everything, and everyone. I was so alone. I don't ever want to be that way again, I cling to everyone I hold close, because I've lost so much," Zelda glanced at her hand, which was white from the pressure of her nails digging into her skin. "But what do you need from me? You aren't just here to listen," she turned to Ruto.

The Zora's eyes flickered as she pulled herself back into reality, "I never knew you suffered," she murmured flatly.

"In that time of tragedy," she lowered her eyes, "it was impossible not to."

Ruto touched her hand to her lips, her thoughts gathering all of these newfound events into her words, "It's not me who needs your help, really. It's the Zoras."

"I won't have any of my people hurting. If it's in my power, I'll do most anything to help them," Zelda straightened her back, regaining her polished image, "and you."

"You know that many places, many people were hurt by Ganondorf's reign of terror," Ruto began, "some were destroyed from the inside, some torn on the outside, but all were hurt. When Link saved us all, our land regained its composure, though many things were scarred eternally. One of those things harmed was the Zoras. My domain was frozen. And all of the Zora people were trapped beneath the ice. But I was spared," Ruto hesitated, "I wish I hadn't been. Because my land's still frozen. And my people are still trapped. And me, I'm still alone."

"I didn't know of your plight," the princess whispered, "I'm so sorry. I've been so oblivious to all of Hyrule's quandary."

"Don't blame yourself, for no matter what you did this would have happened. It was unavoidable," Ruto said evenly, "but I'm not sure if it's truly eternal. Princess Zelda, ruler of Hyrule and all of its territories, you are the Zoras last chance. Can you help us? Can you help me?"

Zelda rose, turning her face towards the mountains that bordered the land, "Ruto, princess of the water race, ruler of the Zoras, I believe I can."


	6. Chapter Five

Chapter 5

The hot sun beat down on Ruto's back, scorching her skin. Her ceraceous blue fins were marred by the dry land, and her throat was parched with her craving for water. Zelda urged her onwards, always several steps ahead.

"I can't go on," Ruto gasped, her voice cracking.

"You have to," Zelda replied.

Ruto glared back at her, trudging through the tall, sienna grasses. "Why is Hyrule so big?" she muttered, wiping her forehead. 

"Really Ruto, it's not too much farther now. Stop complaining," Zelda said sternly. "We're doing this for your people, there are sacrifices that must be made."

"But I'm exhausted," she whined.

"Live with it," Zelda continued to walk on, jaded by Ruto's constant quetch. 

"But I'm thirsty! And it's hot outside! And..."

"Ruto, you took this upon yourself," Zelda whirled around, smoothing back her thick blond hair that was now drenched in sweat, "If you're not up to it, then I suggest we turn back now. But if you really want to save your people, you have to give of yourself. How many times must I tell you this?"

Ruto rolled her eyes, quickening her pace to define her determination, "A lot Zelda, a whole lot."

"We're almost at Lake Hylia," the princess added.

"You still haven't told me, just _why_ we're going there," Ruto muttered wryly. 

"But I already told you that I can't tell you why as of yet," Zelda retorted, chuckling at her slurred, confusing phrase.

"Sometimes, you're to deep for me," Ruto snickered back.

The sun faded, eventually bringing about a cool, refreshing shower. The sky darkened, and clouds surrounded the realm, pierced by the sun that hid behind them. As the two approached the gateway of Lake Hylia, the temperature had dropped, and the ground was chilled and moist with the rain. 

"I'm cold, and wet," Zelda coughed, shivering. 

Ruto smiled at her smugly, "Sacrifice..." she echoed.

"Be quiet," Zelda snapped, wrapping her arms around her shoulders for warmth.

* * * *

Lake Hylia seemed to stretch on everlastingly, bordering Hyrule with its infinite waters. Often, Ruto had come here to simply think on her role, on her meaning, on her very existence. It seemed different now. She only began going there when Hyrule was threatened, and she'd never seen it for what it truly was: a lake. Somewhere where she could relax, and be herself. And at the moment, somewhere that could prove to save her foundation of life.

She listened intently to the soft air of the crickets, hardly daring to speak, as she would break this ultimate silencing melody that echoed all around her.

"What are we doing here?" she whispered, letting the breezes of the water surround and engulf her in their folds.

"I know not if this is where we must be. But I'm sure that it links to what we must find," Zelda murmured.

"I cannot understand your never ending riddles, Zelda. Speak the truth," Ruto's voice twinkled in the frigid air, fading in and out of the light, then back into the darkness.

"Listen to my words, and you'll understand what I know, not what I say," Zelda smiled mysteriously, backing into the shadows.

Ruto stepped nearer, her body tensed by their surroundings and her urgent desire to free her people and land, "I'm not like that. Just tell me."

"We must regain order in your realm, before we can restore its lost years to life," Zelda pursed her lips together, awaiting Ruto's enquiry. 

It didn't come.

"I know what you mean Zelda. And I think you're right," she said, her voice stirring with relief. "But I'm worried. What if...?"

"Hush, we can't afford to think thoughts like that. Every moment we waste is fatal, for we don't know where we should begin our search."

"This is where the answer is. Zelda, I can feel it," Ruto stepped away from the princess, squinting at the center island of the lake. "What's out there?" she asked, pointing.

"Nothing that I know of. Beneath it is your sanctuary, the water temple," Zelda glanced at the water that encased the small mountain of earth.

"We should look over there," Ruto strolled calmly over to the water's edge, where it licked the sand shores.

"I haven't a swimming costume," Zelda's voice was tinted with a definite uncertainty.

"You don't need one," Ruto giggled, making a graceful dive into the lake. She popped her head out, shivering in the cooling relief of the water flowing over her skin. The water rippled in from the shore, the tide moving steadily. The moon's reflection was mirrored on the water, spherical and honey shaded. "For once, just for this moment, everything seems to be exactly as it should be," Ruto whispered.

* * * *

Zelda coughed up water as she grasped the dry earth between her hands. Gasping for breath, she pulled herself onto the bank of the island.

"I've been waiting for about twenty minutes," Ruto said, perched atop a stone pedestal.

"I'm no Zora," Zelda growled, wringing out her layers of sodden cloth.

"Zelda, I noticed something here. What is it?" Ruto dismounted the structure, and ran her fingers over an embossed inscription on its base, "It's in Hylian, isn't it?"

"I believe it's directions for receiving the fire arrows. The goddesses work in strange ways," Zelda replied, not even glancing at the verse.

"No, it's nothing like that. Come read it."

Zelda skimmed over it, her face creasing with suspicion and curiosity. Hesitantly, she began to read, "it's a prophecy," she breathed...

_Eye to eye_

_We all must see_

_The order's as it shouldn't be_

_Return the realm_

_By sacred ways_

_By noticing the bygone days_

_With water pure_

_And soul afire_

_Time will melt_

_Old ways retire_

_Moments ago all was clear_

_The downfall was because of fear_

_Sacrifice what needs to be_

_Yet you must give_

_Eternally_

_Don't be afraid_

_Keep a strong heart_

_And light will reign_

_The vale of darkness to part_

"I don't understand it..." Ruto whispered_._

_"_But I do," Zelda whispered, "And you must know of the first lines. We were right. The only way to return your world's purity is to return it's order and law. Ruto, who's most sacred to your people? Who rules them by night and day?"

"Our Lord..." Ruto paused, "Jabu-Jabu."

"That's what I thought all along. Without Lord Jabu-Jabu, chaos has erupted for the Zoras. He was the one who maintained your society and people, though few knew of his true role. Only when Jabu-Jabu is found, will the Zoras prosper once more."

"Only when he is found, will the Zoras _live _once more." 


	7. Chapter Six

Chapter 6

Where does it all begin?

When does it all end?

Why does it all change?

Ruto sat on the pedestal that used to hold their lord, swinging her feet in the iced water. She was lost without Zelda's knowledge. She was alone without her people's company. She was afraid without Link's guidance. And yet she'd sent them all away somehow. Not all were purposefully, but nonetheless, it was her flaw, her fault. She'd told Zelda to leave her after learning what she must first do. Why? Because she felt that this was something she took on herself, and no one else should have to give of their time for it. It was her undertaking, and she would be the one to emerge true, if ever someone would. 

Then again, she could go to Link. Zelda assured her that he'd aide her in the quest, and that he would make her task much simpler. His dexterity with a blade was admirable, and surely Ruto would need protection.

No. She would not have any help.

No. She would save the Zoras alone.

And if she could not, she would die trying.

"Where in Hyrule is possibly big enough to hold him?" she asked herself, looking at her reflection. There was no answer. Not that she expected one. "Why would anyone want to destroy an entire civilization?" she whimpered. She couldn't fathom anyone having so much hatred and destruction inside. "What am I going to do?"

She needed an answer. But there was no one to tell her, and no one to care enough to try.

* * * *

"Of course, I know where Jabu-Jabu is," Ruto mumbled for the thousandth time, "with the Gerudos, where else would he be? Ganondorf was a Gerudo, and he took Jabu-Jabu!" She threw her hands in the air, exasperated at her own thoughtlessness.

Never before had she ventured into the Gerudo hills. She'd never even imagined what lay beyond the treacherous mountain walls and atop the sandy peaks. But now she had to go inside, she had to explore it in all its entirety, and she had to speak with the race that she detested with all of her heart. Hesitantly, she stepped forward, her feet lingering on the flimsy bridge that led to the fortress, and inside. Her stomach fluttered as she glanced at the deep chasm beneath. The atmosphere around her was different from anywhere else in Hyrule, more deserted, more alone, more intense, and more...forbidding.

Ruto casually walked up to the gate, trying to look confident and surefooted. She cast a nervous glance at the Gerudo guard, but quickly replaced it with a steadfast grin.

"Can you open this gate for me?" Ruto asked, not meeting the guard's undaunted stare.

"What business do you have?" the guard retorted, moving her spear slightly in her hand.

Ruto paused, then began to laugh nervously, "Well, I need to get a drink because I'm really quite parched," she bit her lip, praying that she sounded convincing.

The guard shifted the weapon to her other hand threateningly, "We haven't any water here, it's a desert," she smirked.

"Of course, I knew that!" Ruto said tightly, "I was just testing you," her tone dropped slightly, "Actually I need to..." she eyed the guard, a silver glint catching her attention. Fastened to her belt, was a pointed dagger, so sharp it was almost dulled. "Can I see that?" Ruto whispered, pointing at the weapon.

"Of course not," the guard snapped, drawing back.

"Listen, you have a spear, it's not like I can attack you. Anyway, I'm a Zora, and we have no knowledge of battle. It's just that it's a very interesting weapon."

The guard mulled over Ruto's words before speaking. "Briefly," she growled.

Ruto grasped the small knife in her hand, running her fingertips over the sleek blade. Now or never...

"Ouch!" she shrieked, stumbling backwards and dropping the dagger on the sand, "I cut myself!" She winced as she help open her palm, revealing a deep, carmine gash running from her thumb to her wrist. "Do you have a bandage?" Ruto yelped.

"Well..." the guard paused uncertainly.

"I'm going to faint from blood loss in a moment," Ruto gasped, tripping over the fine sand and coughing simultaneously. "I feel sick..." she moaned, her every word wavering.

"Come with me," the guard muttered, taking her roughly by the arm and leading her inside the fortress. She shoved the Zora into a sitting position, placing her on a patchily made bench and storming from the room.

"I didn't mean to cut myself so badly," Ruto sighed, sucking the blood from her cut. "At least I'm inside," she murmured, looking around her for the first time. The room was hung with brightly colored cloths, and the wind blew freely through them causing them to whip about. The flooring was just orange dirt, soft and warm with the heat of the desert sun. Crates were scattered about aimlessly, atop them were basins of water, dried plants, or glimmering jewels. Temptation pulled her in all directions, teasing her body and mind. Ruto shook it off, and stood up. Wandering from her seat, she came to a curtain of beads and gems, all strung onto thick coils of rope to form a doorway. She pulled them aside to reveal an on stretching desert, abound with touring quicksand.

Trapped.

The word stuck to the roof of her mouth.

"I take it you're going to be alright," the illustrious voice of the guard sounded behind her. Ruto whirled around.

"Why...yes," she stammered, "the fresh air did me a world of good."

"What do you want from us?" the Gerudo snarled. She took Ruto securely by her neck, and whipped out a nitid sword, crafted from silver and twisted with wear from its many battles, from its many deaths. She placed the tip at Ruto's neck, the slightest touch and the Zora would never again breath. Ruto opened her mouth to speak, maybe to scream, maybe just to plead...

But instead she broke down sobbing. It was all to much. The sacrifice. The loneliness. The battling. The fear. They all surrounded her night and day. She just couldn't take it anymore. A single grain could tip the steadiest scale...

So be it.

"Slit my throat. Do it," Ruto growled, her eyes flashing with the vehemence of her fury. "I've had enough. Please, kill me. Now. I'm asking you to."

The guard stared at her, her eyes narrowing with suspicion. But there was nothing to be suspicious of. Ruto's face drained of all emotion, and she wept bitterly.

"Why won't you do this? I'm so alone, and I'm so scared..." she sobbed. "Fine, just give me your sword and I'll do it myself."

The guard thrust her to the ground, backing away steadily. "I won't take lives of the innocent, no matter what some fables may say. Take your life, it means nothing to me. And obviously, nothing to you. But first think about it. If there's just one person who will weep when you pass, then your life has had some meaning, and you should not throw it away. Take this with you," she tossed a slip of paper on the ground, charred about the edges but lined with a thin strip of gold leaf. "And I don't do this out of pity. I do it out of understanding." The guard slammed the door behind her, leaving Ruto alone, kneeling on the ground in wroth tears.

"What is it?" Ruto gasped, catching her breath. She picked the sheet off the ground, turning it over in her palm. "Membership pass...I can get in anywhere in the valley," she deemed. She leaned against the wall, allowing her chest to rise and fall rapidly as she regained her stamina and equanimity.

It was impossible to wade through the depths of the quicksand, so she would need to leave through the way she came in. The legions of Gerudos made her feel uncomfortable to say the least, but by simply waving the small paper, she was treated with a newfound respect. After wandering about aimlessly for quite a while, Ruto realized that she was making no progress. Timidly, she approached another guard.

"Do you have dungeons here?" she asked, meekly holding out the pass.

"Of course," the guard nodded, "we are warriors, and capture those who fail to obey or listen to us."

"Only for people, right?"

The guard looked her over skeptically, "who else would they be for?"

"Fairies, deku scrubs, fish...?" she gulped.

"Right..."

"Listen, I need to explore the desert, but I can't get through that quicksand. Do you have anything I could use?" Ruto said hurriedly. 

"No one ventures into the desert. It's almost certain death."

"I'm willing to risk that. I'm _very _curious." 

"Alright, it's your life. Over in the back of the fortress there's a storage room. There's some old carpets piled up. I think some of them fly," she gestured towards the eminent, wooden structure behind them. It towered over everything, shading the valley from the harsh, desert sun. Ruto bowed her head briefly, and handed the woman a single rupee before lamming away.

The air was heavy with musk and jasmine inside the room. It was dark and chilly, with a silence broken only by the steady dripping of liquid from some far off pipe. Scads of ancient carpets were heaped in every corner, draped over every table, and hung from every window. Ruto approached them charily, afraid that one might suddenly rush into the air and take flight. She lifted the corner of a thickly embroidered one, aureate and cinibar in color. Sorrel tassels hung from each side, knotted and then strung with pearls. She placed it on the ground, smoothing out its folds and sat herself firmly on the surface. 

"Go," she muttered, urging it forward, "Fly?" she tried once more, "lift?"

The carpet remained entrenched to the floor.

"Fine, I'll stay here all day," Ruto pouted, shifting her weight. She yawned, and began to examine the carpet. "Lorieth conten hylurn?" she murmured, reading the curious symbols printed on the carpet's tag. "Whoa!"

The entire ground beneath her began to quake, in a queer, enhancive rhythm. The corners of the carpet curled in and out, as if stretching from a long slumber. The tassels shook, causing the beads and pearls to clack melodically together. And the carpet took flight, shooting off the ground as if it grew wings. Ruto's hands grasped the front, completely white from the shock and pressure.

As if it knew where to go, they flew out the doorway, moving swiftly but steadily. The wind whipped about, softly securing her to her conveyance. Ruto slowly unlocked her grip, throwing back her head and laughing at the absolute liberty she was feeling. Nothing was out of her reach, she could have the stars, the clouds, the very sky...

But then she'd still be alone. Her eyes began to scan the desert below.

Emptiness. 

Nothing but sand stretching on eternally. 

"What's that?" she murmured. In the distance, she could make out the vague form of a palm tree, swaying in the harsh winds. "There's no life in a desert...unless..." 

"Is it a mirage?" she sighed, "No, it's there alright. An oasis!" 

The one foundation for life in this vast nothingness was an oasis. She envisioned the pool of water, surrounded by a grove of palms and fruits. She squinted at the utopia, still not seeing anything but...

"Lord Jabu-Jabu?" she yelled, almost falling from the carpet in her haste to land. She could clearly make out the form of the enormous whale, floundering in the deep hole that used to be filled with cool water. The carpet landed smoothly by the palm, which was only dried mud, not the thick, moving sands of the rest of the desert. Ruto rushed over to the Zora lord, already feeling the hot, bitter tears that coursed down her face.

"It's alright, I'm here now," she whispered, stroking the whale's head. She fingered the overrefined jewels that adorned his crown, remembering the many times she'd cleansed and fed him, even recalling when he'd swallowed her so many years ago. And now...

"You're dying, aren't you?" she choked out, "not enough water here?" she sighed "You can't die! We _need _you! Don't you see? The Zoras will never again breath without you! Get up, stop it!" her words became thick, and she began to sob uncontrollably. "Please, please don't die. You're my last hope..."

She felt his body go cold and stiff, his scales bristle as they met death, and she took away her hand. "You just can't..." she backed away, "I'll take you with me...I'll..." she broke off, unable to finish her words. "You were the Zoras last chance. There is no hope left for them now."


	8. Chapter Seven

Chapter 7

Ruto turned the whale onto its back, overseeing the tolls that death had payed to him. She poured some more iced water over his corpse, still precisely as it looked when he'd lived. Somehow, death hadn't yet scarred his sacred body, and it seemed as if he could swim away at any moment...but it never happened.

"Water pure?" she mumbled, "the Zora water is the purest in all of Hyrule, what more can I do?" She gently rubbed his head, letting the moisture melt into his skin.

It was scary, watching him lay so still. On the pedestal he looked so regal, and yet there was something missing...and Ruto could never again replace it, never again give it back.

Merely getting the great creature back to its haven was a feat that had seemed impossible. She still felt wretched having denied even a race as lowly as the Gerudos of her trust. Thievery was so lowly, and when she'd just learned that everyone had their human side...

She shook her head, pushing such thoughts to the darkest recesses of her mind.

"Are you Ruto?"

"Who's there?" the Zora whispered, her eyes fleeting over her surroundings. She drew back, but then smiled slightly seeing the voice's source; a lucent, agleam faerie. "Yes, I'm Ruto. But who are you?" 

The faerie hovered in the air, its wings beating against the wind, "Navi. I've been sent from Link to relay a message to you," she cleared her throat significantly.

"Alright, what is it?" Ruto asked, her eyes never straying from Navi. Never before had she seen such a graceful and delicate sight, as of this silvern glow called a faerie.

"He's heard of your plight and of the prophecy, and would like to offer his help if need be," Navi breathed, satisfied that she'd remembered her words.

"That's very chivalrous of him I'm sure, but no one can help me."

"Are you sure? What do you have to lose by simply asking him?" the faerie's voice was so melodic and ariose that Ruto couldn't help but feel enlightened and in higher spirits. 

"Very well, I suppose you're right," she murmured.

"Then come with me, and we'll speak with Link right away!"

"I can't go with you. I must stay with Lord Jabu-Jabu at all hours. He cannot be left alone. No one should ever long for someone, when they needn't..." Ruto stroked the whale's fin, feeling its silken finish.

"But he's...passed," Navi said pointedly.

"But I doubt it's eternal. Send Link to me, and tell him what I've said."

"Alright," the faerie muttered skeptically, and with that she flittered off, taking to the skies, soaring through the day and night.

* * * *

"I just can't think of anything," Link muttered, shaking his head. "It's all so...confusing."

"Don't I know it," Ruto sighed, resting her head in her hands. 

"Only you can fulfill the prophecy, Ruto. Maybe I can't understand it because it doesn't pertain to..." he broke off, his mind wandering.

"Continue..."

"Water pure," Link echoed, his voice deep and sure, "I think I understand it."

"Well clue me in!" Ruto squealed, practically leaping to her feet.

"Though the Zora waters are sacred, there is more sacred water in Hyrule. Water that breathes with the essence of life, water that can cure your deepest wounds, water that echoes with the foundation of our land, with faeries..."

"The Fairy Fountain," Ruto gasped, her voice trembling.

"You've got to get Jabu-Jabu there before it's too late," Link said earnestly.

"And I will."

* * * *

"I guess it was already too late," Ruto whispered, her eyes tearing. "Too late for him, too late for the Zoras, too late for me." She watched as another faerie set its sweet kiss of life on the whale's flesh. And she watched as he stayed still, not even stirring.

"Faeries can heal those past death, but I guess he's just to large..." Link sighed, "And it seemed so right, it made so much sense. But even a faerie fountain isn't strong enough to heal some wounds."

Ruto glanced at the great creature, laying silently on the white cloth. "Nothing's strong enough to cure the wounds of Hyrule. They were too great, they're were too many."

"I'll help you bring him back."

"No, Link. I'll leave him here, so he can be peaceful in his sleep." Link rose, putting a hand on Ruto's shoulder. 

"Everything will be alright, you'll see," he murmured.

"I know it. I'll miss you, Link. You've helped me a great deal."

"I'm sure we'll meet again some time," he grinned at her, trying to provide what little solace he could.

"I don't doubt it," she watched as he walked from the fountain, leaving her alone in the small room. The fountain glimmered with a pale, cerulean light, and twinkling melodies lingered in every breath of the space. The faeries dove through the waters, cooling their bodies and cleansing their souls. Ruto kneeled down, sobs racking her entire body.

"I'll only see him again in death," she whispered," because I won't live alone for eternity. I just can't..." She stood up, drawing in the consoling air of the fountain. It would be that last time she'd ever taste comfort. The last time she'd ever taste life. 

From the sheathe of Jabu-Jabu, she drew a pointed sword, short in stature, but so sharp that it could cut the thickest armor cleanly in two. She ran her finger along the blade, reveling in the fact that she'd soon join her people in eternal rest. "I'm so sorry that I let you down, I'm so sorry that I told that tyrant where you rested, and I'm so sorry that I didn't join you before now," and with that she drove the dagger into her chest.


	9. Chapter Eight

Chapter 8

Music...so harmonic and pearlescent...

Lights...like one thousand stars all whispering at once...

Singing...from reality into dreams...

Ruto's eyes fluttered open as she opened her mouth to speak. Where was she? Wasn't she...dead? She looked down at her chest, expecting the deep wound made by her own hand, but saw only skin, clear and undimmed as ever.

"Where am..." blood spurted from her mouth and she began to choke. Her head throbbed and she felt feverish and hot. Above her, she realized the lights were faeries, all clustered over her in fear. If one person would cry because of your death...

She felt herself flushing with regret; the faeries had healed her. Not on accident, not from a slight brush with her skin, but because they weren't ready to see her pass.

"Don't you see," she gasped, her breath sporadic and uneven, "I don't _want _to live."

The faeries whispered among each other, their voices twinkling and sweet.

"There is nothing left to save my lord, and I don't wish to live alone forever. No one would want that," Ruto sighed, watching the faeries as they began to flitter away, upset by her saddened words.

Only one stayed. Only one did not fly away. Only one would not leave her. It began to chirp to her in its own tongue.

"I can't understand you," Ruto muttered, "I know you think I shouldn't give up but..." she broke off, "please, I don't know what you're trying to say."

More glimmering sounds and beating of wings, "Listen..."

"What?" Ruto gasped, standing up abruptly.

"There's always something greater..."

Ruto spun on her heels, her eyes narrowing. "Who's there?"

Silence. Pure silence.

Only the wind and the water...

"What do you mean? Who are you?" Ruto grimaced, beginning to pace about. Quiet. Complete Quiet. "I...there's nothing I can do," she sighed, sitting herself down on the fountain's edge. She trailed her feet in the water, feeling a pure sensation trilling up her body. "What's greater then these waters? Filled with faeries and healing waters? These little faeries are..." her heart almost ceased its beating, her breath almost failed to leave her chest, as she leapt up.

"I forgot. These fountains are plentiful, abundant in Hyrule. But Link once told me that there were six fountains in Hyrule that were even more powerful, that could heal all wounds, and even bestow gifts on those who stumbled into them. I_ must _find one," she raced over to Jabu-Jabu, and encased him in the thin sheet. Draping the end of it over her shoulder, and grasping it in her hands, she began to pull the whale from the sanctuary, into the outside sun.

* * * *

"I...can't...go on..." Ruto gasped. The trail that wound up the mountain seemed everlasting, and it was tedious to constantly climb the boulders and obstacles that deterred her from reaching the peak. Not to mention the enormous weight that she had to drag behind her the entire way. She breathed heavily...on top, so far away was a fountain...cool...refreshing...

She collapsed on the ground, her head pounding with heat, her body moist with her own sweat. Only creatures of the thickest skin could survive here...

"SHRIEK!" Ruto bounded up, her hand still ensnared in the sheet. "What are you?"

She'd heard of the residents that resided on Death Mountain. Their minds were dense and their skin as hard as brick. But she'd never actually _believed _that. Before her, was a stout creature that did fit this bizarre description.

"Do you need help?" Its voice was thick and round, but somehow consoling and real.

"I need to get to the top of this mountain," Ruto stated. She was to rushed and ill to be choosy in the least.

"Follow me." 

"You're a Goron?" Ruto asked, her eyes flashing with curiosity. She couldn't help her complete captivation with this rarity before her. 

"Yes. I'm a Goron," it nodded to her, continuing its slow but steady pace as it ascended the mountain.

"How do you live here? Will you help me carry this? What's it like?" Ruto became animated, enthralled.

It stared up at her, its eyes an endless midnight black, yet its expression vacant. Slowly moving, it pried her grip from the sheet, and took it in its hand. They continued their trek up to the fountain, never speaking once more.

* * * *

Ruto stood outside a cavern. From inside, she could here dirges, or so they sounded, baleful to the ear and poisoned to the touch. Her feet were plastered to the ground, but her heart was racing ahead, urging her to enter the forbidden place.

She walked forward, inside a darkening passageway, filled with the din of the coronach. Biting her lip, she pressed onward. Abruptly, the tunnel came to an end, and before her was a vast space. Directly in front was a fountain, so enhancive that is was almost hypnotic. Enraptured by the beauty before her, she stepped forward. 

The water was so blue that it was almost transparent. The edges of the room were tinged with gold, and they glistened with silvern lights. She ran her hand over an embossed symbol of the Triforce, her entire body quivering under the pressure. Suddenly, ripples spread from the center of the pool, the music changing to a sweet harmony of spirit and life.

The Zora stepped back, hearing a cryptical laughter that descended upon the entire room. From the fountain, a fairy spun upwards. Ruto was tempted to flee right there.

Her hair was pulled into braids, all of the brightest shade of pink, and intertwined with ivy. Her body was clad in a thick armor, gold, silver, and bay in color. Her feet were covered in boots, that reached up to her knees. And her face was covered in vines, her very voice echoing with all of nature.

"I am the Great Faerie, ruler of all I survey. For stumbling upon my oasis, I bestow upon you my healing powers," she began to reach out, her body trembling and surging with vibrance.

"Wait!" Ruto gasped, her voice hoarse and afraid. "I ask of you a favor," she knelt down, cowering before the faerie woman.

"I am doing you one already," she said sourly, glaring at the Zora before her.

"Use your powers not on me, but on my lord, " she pulled the body of Jabu-Jabu closer, unwrapping his great form. "Will you heal him, rather then me?" 

"Very well, if that is what you wish," The Great Faerie stretched out her slender hands, summoning power beyond mortal control. Gold powder twinkled from her fingertips, finally encasing the entire body of the whale in its cool shimmer.

Ruto lost track of time, the entire room seemed to spin in and out of oblivion. Had it been mere seconds since she'd arrived? A few minutes until she'd leave? And hour past the time she'd come? It all swirled together, clouding her thoughts.

Soon enough she'd know the Zora's fate...

Eternal imprisonment or liberty?

Soon enough she'd know her fate...

Life or death?

The Faerie snapped her back into reality, as Ruto felt the entire room being pulled forward. The powder filtered from the whale, whispering and sparkling as it dove back into the sacred waters. The faerie's laughter filled the space, almost diabolical, and she watched as the strange woman disappeared into the waters without a trace. 

Ruto approached Jabu-Jabu with utmost forethought, not sure if she'd be more afraid to see him twitch to life, or to again see his still form. She stroked his fins, feeling for a sign of life, but feeling nothing. Keeping her movements leveled, she let go and began to back out of the fountain. 

What was that? A moan?

She whirled around, her heart beating so rapidly she thought that detonate like a bomb at any second...

Standing so still that the faintest breeze might make her fall, the Zora watched with hungry eyes as the whale began to shake ever so slightly. She could make out his chest rising and falling unevenly. And she knew that he was alive.

She felt a wave of fulfillment, a surge of proudness, and then her entire body filled with complete relief that her life would once again be worth living.

Her body was engulfed in a refreshing, azure light, and she felt herself toppling in all directions but never falling. 

Never again could she possibly fall.

Not now that she had her life back.


	10. Epilogue

Chapter 9

"And now I wait," Ruto sighed, absently catching snowflakes in her hand, and then swirling them about until they melted. Jabu-Jabu continued to behave in this new, offbeat, possibly even outre manner. Simply lying there, a distinct song echoing from inside him, rumbling and squirming about as it trilled its cacophony across the ice land. It hurt her ears, even made her feel sick inside, but she _had _to listen, and she _had_ to stay there.

And so the days passed.

Some slow, some quick, all alone.

She began to notice subtle cracks in the ice as time wore on. Finally, she slipped because the ice was covered in a thin layer of water. Ultimately, she was able to clearly see every Zora beneath the translucent substance. They all looked...

"Scared," said Ruto, completing her thoughts aloud. "Just like I was. Like I still am."

* * * *

For some reason Ruto kept herself hidden all day. All night. For the next morning. She was not yet ready to reveal herself to her people. She didn't know why. Guilt, she thought.

They were all free. They were no longer trapped, and though she longed to do so many things, she refused to even see them. Not until one week had gone to pass. Not until she had enough time to think.

* * * *

Ruto slipped out from the cavern where she'd been for what seemed like forever. As the turmoil has finally ended, she felt as if a piece of her was missing eternally, and never would it return. She felt empty. Hollow. The light was so hopeless...

"Ruto? Is that you?"

A distinct, masculine, and all to familiar voice.

She whirled around, "yes, Farrell. It's me," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I haven't seen you...I mean, my mind's blank but, I," he began to stutter under her scrutinizing gaze.

"It's alright. I understand." Her voice was soft, and unmistakably benign and sweet.

"You...do?" he asked.

"More then you'll ever know. And I'll never be angry if you try to stop me from leaving here again. I'm never leaving again." With her newfound experiences, her suffering, her hurt, she'd lost her youthful curiosity, and in a sense her longing for fun and adventure. She only wanted to be safe, to read her path...

"Thanks."

"No problem," Farrel muttered, obviously confused.

She sat down on the shore, taking in the hypnotic effect of the tide. Never had it been so pure to watch, and she relished every movement.

"Where _have_ you been for the past week?" Farrel said sullenly.

"Here, there, around," she replied absently.

"Do you know what's happened here over the past...well, I have no idea how long?" his words came our hurriedly, all huddling together.

"No, Farrel," she lied, "no one will ever know what happened."

"I have the strangest feeling that something happened," he murmured, pressing onwards.

"Nothing occurred. You're being over imaginative," Ruto spun her words hastily, not heeding how ridiculous it must have sounded to call Farrel imaginative. She pulled him down to her level. "Listen, I mean it when I thank you. Okay?"

"Yeah, sure Ruto."

"Can I ask something of you?" her voice was barely audible now, it was so laden with regrets.

"Of course," for once he seemed speechless.

" Don't forget me. Tell everyone not to forget me. And tell them that I won't forget them. Never," her tone became tinted with remorse, and she turned away, her eyes stinging.

"Why?" Farrel choked out.

"Just because. It's important." And with that, she stood up and walked away. 

At the edge of the river she paused, spun on her heels and looked back. Mist everywhere, serene. Softening the grasses the carpeted the river banks. Stars slowly spinning into view. She sighed.

"I won't ever forget any of 'em," she whispered, "and I won't ever forget this night."

And never again would she see Zoras River. Never again would she see the Zoras.

* * * *

She was ready to give up her life as she knew it. Ready to move on. She'd lived through hurt, hatred, humiliation. And it had scarred her. 

She would never be able to heal those scars, even if she tried to. The most powerful of all magic would not cure her hidden pain, and would not bring it to the surface.

Resigned to her ultimate fate, Ruto felt her body being lifted up in a light. She parted her lips, feeling her every word soaring through the skies that had always been out of her reach. 

And nothing was impossible.

Nothing was far away.

And most of all, nothing was to be feared.

  
  


*~The End~*


End file.
